Bidirectional amplifier or node supporting out-of-band signaling

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a bidirectional amplifier or node supporting out-of-band signaling may be provided. The apparatus may comprise a first diplexer, a second diplexer, an upstream reverse amplifier, and a downstream Out-of-Band (OOB) amplifier. The first diplexer may comprise a first diplexer band-stop filter and a first diplexer band-pass filter. The first diplexer band-stop filter may be connected between a first diplexer first port and a first diplexer second port. The first diplexer band-pass filter may be connected between the first diplexer first port and a first diplexer third port. The second diplexer may comprise a second diplexer band-stop filter and a second diplexer band-pass filter. The second diplexer band-stop filter may be connected between a second diplexer first port and a second diplexer second port. The second diplexer band-pass filter may be connected between the second diplexer first port and a second diplexer third port.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising:
 a first diplexer having a first diplexer first port, a first diplexer second port, and a first diplexer third port, the first diplexer comprising;
 a first diplexer band-stop filter that attenuates signals with frequencies between greater than and equal to a first frequency and less than and equal to a second frequency, the first diplexer band-stop filter being connected between the first diplexer first port and the first diplexer second port, and 
 a first diplexer band-pass filter that passes signals with frequencies between greater than and equal to a third frequency and less than and equal to a fourth frequency, the first diplexer band-pass filter being connected between the first diplexer first port and the first diplexer third port; 
 
 a second diplexer having a second diplexer first port, a second diplexer second port, and a second diplexer third port, the second diplexer comprising;
 a second diplexer band-stop filter that attenuates signals with frequencies between greater than and equal to the first frequency and less than and equal to the second frequency, the second diplexer band-stop filter being connected between the second diplexer first port and the second diplexer second port, and 
 a second diplexer band-pass filter that passes signals with frequencies between greater than and equal to the third frequency and less than and equal to the fourth frequency, the second diplexer band-pass filter being connected between the second diplexer first port and the second diplexer third port; 
 
 a third diplexer having a third diplexer first port, a third diplexer second port, and a third diplexer third port, the third diplexer comprising;
 a third diplexer low-pass filter that passes signals with frequencies equal to and lower than a fifth frequency, the third diplexer low-pass filter being connected between the third diplexer first port and the third diplexer second port, and 
 a third diplexer high-pass filter that passes signals with frequencies equal to and greater than a sixth frequency, the third diplexer high-pass filter being connected between the third diplexer first port and the third diplexer third port; 
 
 a fourth diplexer having a fourth diplexer first port, a fourth diplexer second port, and a fourth diplexer third port, the fourth diplexer comprising;
 a fourth diplexer low-pass filter that passes signals with frequencies equal to and lower than the fifth frequency, the fourth diplexer low-pass filter being connected between the fourth diplexer first port and the fourth diplexer second port, and 
 a fourth diplexer high-pass filter that passes signals with frequencies equal to and greater than the sixth frequency, the fourth diplexer high-pass filter being connected between the fourth diplexer first port and the fourth diplexer third port; 
 
 an upstream reverse amplifier that amplifies signals from the first diplexer second port to the second diplexer second port, the upstream reverse amplifier connected between the first diplexer second port and the second diplexer second port; 
 a downstream Out-of-Band (OOB) amplifier that amplifies signals from the second diplexer third port to the first diplexer third port, the downstream Out-of-Band (OOB) amplifier connected between the second diplexer third port and the first diplexer third port; and 
 a downstream forward amplifier that amplifies signals from the fourth diplexer third port to the third diplexer third port, the downstream forward amplifier being connected between the fourth diplexer third port and the third diplexer third port. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first diplexer first port is connected to the third diplexer second port. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the third diplexer first port is connected to customer equipment. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second diplexer first port is connected to the fourth diplexer second port. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fourth diplexer first port is connected to a headend. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first frequency is less than the third frequency, the fourth frequency, the second frequency, the fifth frequency, and the sixth frequency; 
 the third frequency is greater than the first frequency, but less than the fourth frequency, the second frequency, the fifth frequency, and the sixth frequency; 
 the fourth frequency is greater than the first frequency and the third frequency, but less than the second frequency, the fifth frequency, and the sixth frequency; 
 the second frequency is greater than the first frequency, the third frequency, and the fourth frequency, but less than the fifth frequency and the sixth frequency; 
 the fifth frequency is greater than the first frequency, the third frequency, the fourth frequency, and the second frequency, but less than the sixth frequency; and 
 the sixth frequency is greater than the first frequency, the third frequency, the fourth frequency, the second frequency, and the fifth frequency. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first frequency is 60 MHz; 
 the second frequency is 140 MHz; 
 the third frequency is 70 MHz; 
 the fourth frequency is 130 MHz; 
 the fifth frequency is 204 MHz; and 
 the sixth frequency is 258 MHz. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first frequency is 64 MHz; 
 the second frequency is 84 MHz; 
 the third frequency is 72 MHz; 
 the fourth frequency is 76 MHz; 
 the fifth frequency is 204 MHz; and 
 the sixth frequency is 258 MHz.